The vote is tomorrow. Below is the email contact information for all committee members – write to them tonight.

Thank you to the Central Florida Freethought Community (CFFC) and the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) for the updated information below.

“In God We Trust” Should Not Be Displayed In Florida Schools

Act TODAY to tell Florida lawmakers to vote against bill that would put “In God We Trust” in every public school building.

Tomorrow morning, the Florida House Education Committee will consider HB 839, a bill that would require every school board in the state to place the phrase “In God We Trust” in all public schools. Even though the phrase is, disgracefully, both the national motto and the Florida state motto, there is no question of this bill’s religious intent. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Kimberly Daniels, is a preacher with a history of using her public office to promote her personal religion.

Please take action TODAY to oppose this attempt to insert religion into Florida public schools. The Education Committee will consider this bill tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., so they need to hear your voice this afternoon. Please call or email these lawmakers and urge them to vote against HB 839.

More information about HB 839.

Your Message:

Please use the below as a guide and personalize your own message. It is okay to be brief, but passionate.

I am writing as a concerned Floridian to strongly oppose HB 839, which is scheduled for a hearing at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning, Feb. 7. Even though “In God We Trust” was adopted as our national motto in the 1950s, it carries a clear religious message that has no place in our secular public schools.

The sponsor of HB 839, and legislators at the bill’s hearing in the PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee, have gone on the record saying that the intent of this bill is to promote belief in a religious deity, not to encourage patriotism.

This clear religious goal is anathema to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and marginalizes the 21 percent of young Americans who are either atheist or agnostic, according to a recent study. These students do not trust in any gods and no message to do otherwise should be expressed to them by their government.

Please vote against HB 839 tomorrow morning.

Who to Contact

Contact the members of the House Education Committee today to voice your strong opposition to HB 839.

CFFC is a friend and partner to BE. Orlando. They are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on the separation of state and church and building a thriving secular community in the Greater Orlando area. Visit them at http://CFLFreethought.org for more information